| Nissan employees strive to give back |
By: By ERIN EDGEMON
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Gene McCleary has worked as a production technician at Nissan's Smyrna manufacturing plant for 14 1/2 years.
But the East Tennessee native can remember a time when he wasn't so lucky and had to work three jobs in order to get by.
So now McCleary takes every advantage to give back to others through his employer and on his own time.
"I have been in places where I needed help and someone was there for me," McCleary said. "I always wanted to make sure I was there for someone else."
"It is only right to give back when you are able to," he added.
Nissan North America like many corporations and small businesses give millions of dollars and encourage employees to give back throughout the year to local and national charities.
Nissan's philanthropic endeavors stem from its global vision to "enrich people's lives," said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, senior manager of philanthropy and diversity communications for Nissan North America. The company does this through outreach in areas where it has operations.
The corporation has given more than $5 million to charities nationwide this year, which includes $301,000 given to Middle Tennessee charities. Nissan employees are encouraged to give to the United Way, and employees across the country raised $1.27 million in a recent campaign with the corporation giving an additional $50,000.
"We just really want to have an impact in the community," Valdez Streaty said. "That is why we are excited about moving the headquarters and trying to make an impact in Middle Tennessee."
Yes, major corporations and small businesses may get tax breaks and a positive image by giving to charities, but some local experts believe companies don't give for selfish reasons.
Companies give to charity and encourage their employees to as well because it is the right thing to do, said Jill Austin, chair of the management and marketing department at MTSU.
"I think a lot of companies give because they feel it is their responsibility to make the community better," she said.
Companies don't always ask for publicity, Austin said, but they find themselves having to bring awareness to their actions due to customer expectations.
Barbara Haskew, distinguished professor of economics at MTSU and director of the Tennessee Center for Labor-Management Relations, said education is often a focus of corporate philanthropy.
A number of companies award scholarships to support education and improve the future labor force, she said. Companies often support organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs and the YMCA that promotes health and builds good citizenship.
A survey of 71 companies, including 30 of Fortune Magazine's Top 100, conducted by the nonprofit Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy in 2005 indicated the median pretax giving is 1.3 percent. The median giving per employee is $633. Health and social services and education are the highly funded programs.
Nissan North America's pretax giving was unavailable.
The trend of the last five to 10 years is for companies to give their employees paid leave to volunteer, Austin said, adding that there are a myriad of reasons why companies have made this shift.
"The culture of the company has become one of giving, expectations are higher and there is some recognition from the (corporate) leadership that they can do more by giving back then by giving money," she said. "They could give a million dollars, but it doesn't get the project done."
Nissan North America encourages philanthropy from its top-level management to its hourly workers. About 90 percent of the nearly 7,000 employees at Nissan's Smyrna plant give to United Way, said Vicki Smith, senior manager of corporate communications for Nissan North America.
"I think the fact that participation is so strong, it makes a strong statement about the people who work here," she said. "They don't have to do it, they want to do it. They really feel blessed to be able to participate and they really turn out in a big way."
Besides its involvement in the United Way, the company provides opportunities to collect toys and other items for needy children and adults during the holiday season.
Providing these opportunities for employees to give back and to see where their donations are going builds morale and trust in the company, Valdez Streaty said. It also provides a convenient way for employees to give.
McCleary said employees are inspired to give in other ways. His work group of about 20 recently helped raise $5,000 to purchase a hearing device for a local girl.
Melody Tidwell has worked at Nissan for 25 years and has been involved with Nissan's Christmas from the Heart program for almost as many years. This year employees collected more than 10,000 gifts for needy families and seniors in Rutherford County.
"It has gotten to where employees really look forward to it," Tidwell, a logistics analyst in the manufacturing finance department at Nissan in Smyrna, said of the program. "We coordinate it with eight different agencies in Rutherford County."
Even though employees seem to get busier and busier each year, response to Christmas from the Heart continues to grow.
"It has just become a family tradition (for many employees)," Tidwell said.
Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.
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